This invention relates in general to animal control methods, and in particular to a method for preventing pets from clawing furniture or digging in potted plants.
Some household pets such as cats tend to naturally claw at or scratch home furnishings. If allowed to continue, such activity can significantly deface and even damage the furniture. There are a number of methods for deterring pets from causing this unwanted activity. One such method employs a plastic furniture cover which can be affixed to the sides of the furniture, but is heavy enough to withstand scratching by pets. However, this cover can be unsightly and can also become defaced after repeated scratching.
An array of rectangular strips is affixed to a paper transfer sheet, the strips being uniformly spaced apart. Each strip has a plastic film with an adhesive coating on both sides of the strip. The strips and coatings are preferably transparent so as to appear substantially invisible when affixed to furniture. The upper surface of the transfer sheet is treated with paraffin to facilitate easy removal of the strips from the transfer sheet. A paper release layer is affixed to one side of each film. The lower surface of the release layer is also treated with paraffin to facilitate easy removal of the release layer from the film.
The strip is peeled from the transfer sheet so that the adhesive coating is exposed. The user then presses a strip against an item of furniture in a typical area where a cat may tend to xe2x80x9csharpenxe2x80x9d its claws. The coating on the transfer sheet side of the strip removably affixes the strip to a fabric home furnishing such as drapery or an item of furniture. Finally, the release layer is peeled from the strip, thereby exposing the other adhesive coating. These steps are then repeated for each surface on the furniture that is susceptible to be scratched. Since the strip is transparent, it is not readily visible after the release layer is removed. When a cat attempts to scratch the furniture, its paw contacts and receives an unpleasant sticking sensation from the exposed adhesive coating, deterring the cat from future contact with that item of furniture.
In an alternate embodiment of the invention, a strip has a rectangular, corrugated plastic substrate which provides the backing for an adhesive coating located on an upper side of strip. The substrate is fairly rigid and is preferably colored to blend in with soil. If necessary, the strip may be cut or trimmed to meet a particular application.
The release layer is peeled from the strip, thereby exposing the adhesive. The strip is then placed in a potted houseplant so that the lower, nonadhesive side of the substrate lies in contact with the soil. Preferably, a plurality of the strips are placed on the soil and overlapped transverse to one another. When the strips are overlapped, the coating on one strip sticks to the non-coated side of another strip. This alignment creates an array of strips that is not easily lifted by a pet. When a cat attempts to dig in the soil, it contacts and receives an unpleasant sticking sensation from the exposed adhesive coating and is deterred from future contact with the soil of the houseplant.